'Castle' Season 8 Spoilers: Penny Johnson Axed From ABC Series As Part Of 'Creative Tweaks'; Beckett Takes Over 12th Precinct?

"Castle" season 8 spoilers revealed that Penny Johnson, who plays Captain Victoria Gates, will no longer be returning in the forthcoming episodes.

Penny Johnson recently took to Twitter to reveal the sad news:

"To my 'Castle' fans around the world, as of late yesterday I am surprised and saddened to learn that I will no longer be a part of the 'Castle' family," Jerald wrote.

"Thank you all for your support and love. Hugs from PJJ."

The cause of Penny Johnson's departure, however, is yet to be revealed. Based on the actress' tweet, it seems like she herself was surprised with the showrunners' decision.

Penny Johnson joined "Castle" in season 4 and has since appeared in over 60 episodes. There has yet to be rumors on how her character, Captain Victoria Gates, will exit the series.

IB Times speculated that Beckett could be taking over her position.

"It's possible that Beckett will be taking over the 12th Precinct when the show returns, but she was also considering running for New York State Senate at the time. Kate might want to stick to law enforcement rather than law making."

Although Penny Johnson's sudden departure is surprising as it is, "Castle" season 8 spoilers revealed that she might not be the only character who could be saying goodbye. Producers Terence Paul Winter and Alexi Hawley were reportedly trying to make some "creative tweaks" in the coming episodes, as reported by TV Line.

After several negotiations among the writers and cast members, it has been announced that "Castle" will be returning for an eight season. The network execs has revealed that both Stana Katic (Kate Beckett) and Nathan Fillion (Richard Castle) will be reprising their respective roles in the ABC drama. It has, however, yet to be confirmed on whether season 8 will be the final season of the series.

In an earlier interview ABC President Paul Lee shared that he would want the series to air for several more years.

"I would like to see them run for many, many years to come. They're both powerful, vibrant brands. They have incredibly passionate audiences," he told Zap2It.

Tune in for more "Castle" season 8 spoilers, news and cast updates.